Redknapp: Tough for us to get third

10 Apr 2012 07:47:13

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admitted it would be 'tough' to overhaul rivals Arsenal to claim third place in the Barclays Premier League after their 2-1 home defeat to Norwich dented their Champions League ambitions.

The Canaries - who are now all but guaranteed top flight survival with 43 points - went ahead through Anthony Pilkington and were then denied what looked a clear penalty for a foul by Ledley King on Grant Holt after which Spurs levelled through Jermaine Defoe before the Norfolk side went on to claim all three points through a 20-yard strike from Elliott Bennett.

Redknapp said: "We would settle for finishing fourth, Champions League football is the key. It would be lovely to finish above Arsenal, but that is going to be tough now."

Redknapp, however, insists all is not yet lost as they look to secure a return to elite European football, and he added: "We have not been in bad form the last few weeks, but today was a setback. We had a bad day.

"We were a bit flat. I thought their front two, especially Grant Holt, bullied us a bit."

Redknapp added: "It is all still to play for though. It is going to be close, but there are still five games to go. It is the team who wants it most.

"It is still all to play for - Chelsea have to play Arsenal, Newcastle have to play Chelsea, Chelsea have to play Liverpool away, so who knows?"

Redknapp defended his team selection, with midfielder Scott Parker rested to protect against hamstring injury, but admitted his team had been outmuscled by Paul Lambert's hard working side.

"We get hold of the ball more when we played 4-3-3, I think we control the ball more, but one or two didn't look quite right today. I thought we struggled a bit in certain areas," he said. "Holt held the ball up, got his body in the way, right from the first whistle.

"We couldn't handle them. they worked their socks off, I thought they were ever so good. But we had some great chances - and Gareth Bale hit the bar. There were chances at both ends, though, it was too open, from our point of view, really."